Method of and apparatus for treating timber and the like



A..MEYER AND P. R. WALSH. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR. TREATING TIMBER AND THE LIKE.

APPIgJCATlON FILED AUG-3, 1921- Patented July 11, 1922 parse sms answer Marni, or arms-means, mfaassoim, Ann rmtrr a wanes, on ST. tours, MISSOURI, AssIGNoRs, BY MESN'E ASSIGNMENTS, To DUPLEX HOLDING COMPANY, on ST. Louis, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

METHOD or AND API ARATUs FOR TREATING TIMBER. AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented J ly 11, 11322 Application filed August 3, 1921. Serial No. 489,471.

To all. wkorn it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUST MEYnR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, and PHILIP R.WALSH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Treating Timber and the like.

Our invention relates to improvements in method of and apparatus for treating timber and the like, and has for its primary object an apparatus for a method of treating a predetermined portion or the lower or butt end of telephone, telegraph poles, piling,

posts and similar timbers.

'Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of apparatus by means of which our improved method may be carried out.

Fig. 2 a plan view of the false cover for the treating chambermade use of.

In carrying out our invention we employ an apparatus consisting of a treatingchamber3 and a storage or working tank 4:. The

. tank 4 is preferably constructed so that it has the samecapacity asthe treatlng tank be explained later.

or chamber 3. By this constructionwe are enabled to determine the amount of liquid admitted to the" treating tank 3. Secured in the bottom of the tank 4 is apipe connection 5 which is connected to a pipe 6. Between the pipe connection 5 and the pipe 6 is a valve 7. This is for the purpose of shutting ofi the flow of the preservative which is contained in the tank-4. The pipe 6 is connected to the lower end of the treating tank 3 by means of a pipe connectlon 8. The pipe 6 extends upwardly above the valve and has secured to it the T 9 and to this T 1s secured a valve 10, the purpose of which will Immediately above the T 9 is 'securedthe valve lland extending above; this is a pipe 7 connection 12 which leads into the upper which is connected to a pipe 14:, which in turn is connected to a steam boiler 15. In-v admitting or closing off steam to the coil 17.

Raised a short distance above the bottom of the treating tank 3 is a false bottom 20. This bottom is provided with perforations and is supported by means of braces 21. The upper edge 'ofthe treating "tank 3 is provided with a flange 22 through which bolts 23 extend. These bolts pass through the flange 24 of the cover 25 and are for the purpose of making an air and water tight .joint between the cover and tank. Secured to the upper end of the treating tank 3 and below the flange 22 is a pipe connection 26 which is connected toan air compressor 27, communication between the treating tank 3 and compressor 27 being'governed by means of. the valve 28. Secured to the upper portion of the treatin tank 3 is a second pipe connection 29 whic is connected to an exhaust or vacuum pump 30, and between the exhaust or vacuum pump 30 and tank 3 is interposed a valve 31. Connected to the pipe *29 and opening into the bottom of the tank 3 is a branch pipe 32. The compressor 27 is connected'to the steam pipe 14 by means of a branch pipe 33 which has a valve 34 for governing the admission-0f steam; while the vacuum pump 30 is connected to the steam pipe 14: by meansof a branch 35, the steam' being admitted to the pump by means of a valve 36. Within the tank 3 is located a false top 37 which is provided with openings 38, this is for the purpose of holding down timbers when placed therein and preventing them from floating 'whenthe preservative is admitted to the treating chamber. This false top may be either of sufiicient weight to hold down the timbers or may be secured within the treating tank by any well known means.

means the tank can be readily determined. Our portant feature of our treatment is that by method consists in first placing within the the use of our apparatus and method, all the treating tank 3 a number of timbers to be essential oils contained in the preservative,

treated. The false cover 37 (if the timbers such as coal tar creosote are. retained and are shorter than the tank) is then placed in driven into the wood.

position, and the cover secured in place. In the open tank process, which is now The valves 7, 10, 11 and 28 are closed tightly used, two operations are necessary, first, in while the valve 31 is opened. "The vacuum immersing the timbers in a highly heated pump 30 is then placed in operation and crecreosote oil and afterwards immersing itin a ates a partial vacuum in the tank 3, this cold creosote oil or preservative Heating of partial vacuum also has .a tendency to this preservative to the degree necessary in draw out air contained in the cells and ducts the open tank process drives off the more volaof the timber and thus create a partial tile oilsin the form of vapor. These oils vacuum therein. When a sufficient vacuum which arelighterormore volatile,are the ones has been obtained, (depending on the charthat possess the highest toxic value,while the acter of the timber being treated) the valve heavier oils which remain have less toxio 31 is closed, this maintains the vacuum withvalue and also. less penetrating power than in the treating chamber '3 and also in the the lighter or thinner oils, thus it will be seen cells of the timbers. The valve 7 is then that by the open tank process less penetraopened and the liquid preservative in the tion is obtained and furthermore, that porcontaineror tank 4 is drawn forcibly into tion of the preservative which penetrates the treating tank 3, this force is due to the the cells the deepest has the least toxic value, atmospheric pressure behind it and it not While by our process we may heat the preonly rises in the treating chamber 3, but is servative just sufiiciently to cause it to flow also drawn up into the cells and ducts of the freely and still not cause any vaporization of- '1 wood from which the air'has been exhausted the lighter oils, thereby obtaining a deep and seals the vacuum therein. .When a suflipenetration of oils which have the highest cient level of liquid has flowed in the treat; toxlc value and consequently the timbers ing chamber 3, the valve 7 is closed, and the are preserved to a much greater degree and valve 28 opened 'and theair compressor 27 will last longer than those treated by the is placed in operation. This creates air presopen tank method which is now generally in sure in the upper portion of the treating use. i v

chamber 3 which pressure is transmitted to" While we haveshown and described an the preservative through the openings 38 apparatus consisting of one working tank formed in the false cover 37. 'Thispressure and one treating tank, yet it is obvious that causes the preservative to be forced into the we may use any number of such tanks and forces cells and ducts of the wood, thus completely we may place our treating tank in any posifilling them. When the cells have been thus tion except the horizontal. Any type of air filled, the air pressure is left on and the compressor or vacuum pump or steam boiler valve 11 is opened-the air pressure now may be employed and any number. The the excess preservative upward treating tank may be of any shape or size through the pipes 6 and 12 and back into and may have its upperend opened for the tank 4, after which the cover 25 is refilling as illustrated, or it may be provided moved, the false cover 37 is withdrawn and with a side opening and a closure forsaid the treated timbers removed from the treatopening. The tank may be p-lacedabovethe in chamber, j ground or be placed in a. pit as shown. It

11 the event thatithe timbers used are is also obvious that the working tanlgmay be green, they may be seasoned by turning provided with a gauge. An essential feature. steam into the coil 17 in the tank 3. After of our apparatus is an air and water tight the steam has been let on a certain time, the tank that is capable of having apartial w valve 10*is opened and a large amount of vacuum formed therein, in which air pres- In this ,iwa y it is possible to maintain a deep moisture is permitted to escape in this way. sure can be set up, and the disposition of this Thev valvelO is then closed and the valve 31 tank at an angle to the horizontal preferably opened. The vacuum pump 30 is then placed in an upright or vertical position, whereby in operation and the timbers further seaa certain predeterminedportionof a timber soned in a vacuum which further draws out may be treated; and an essential feature of withdrawn .in this way, the vacuum is mainmined portion of a timber by one application tained by closing the valve31 and the pre-" of the preservative, utilizing the vacuum viously I described operation, opening the and air pressure to obtain a deep. penetration valves 7 and 2 8 and starting a flow of preof the preservative and the preservation of servative, and the airpressure is repeated. all-the oils of high toxic value.

I :It will be noted that in the practicing ofpenetration of preservative in green timber. our method,that the vacuum is first created This was not possible before. Another .imin the ducts and cells throughout the-entire moisture. After all the moisture ha been our method is the treatment of a predeter- ZAQQAM length of the tlmtereand when the timbers are enveloped to the predetermined height with the preservative; the preservative seals the-vacuum in'the cells and ducts only in that portion of thet-imbers'enveloped, then when air pressure is created inv the treating tank the cells and ducts above the enveloped portion of the timbers are. filled with compressed air which prevents the upward passage of the' preservative beyond the enveloped portion, while on the enveloped portion the combined forces of the'vacuum on one side of the preservative and air pressure on the other forces it deeply into the cells and ducts practically filling. them cornp-letely. lVe thereby by our improved method; obtain a deep penetration of the preservative and also a uniform distribution of the preservative throughout the portions of the timber treatedl Having fully described .our inventiofi, what we claim is:

1. The herein described process of treating a predetermined portion of a piece of timber With a preservative liquid by immersing a terminal portion thereof to the desired extent in the treating liquid, and producing a pressure above the liquid and about the free extending portion of the piece of timber to cause a penetrationof the liquid. 2. The herein described. method of treating at one and the same time predetermined portions of timbers with a preserving liquid which consists in assembling a plurality of such timbers in a substantially upright position and immers ng the terminal portions thereof to the desired extent in the treating,

" liquid and producing a pressure above and acting on the surface of the liquid and about the free-extend'in portions of the timbers to causea penetra ion of the liquid into the immersed portions of the bodies of the tlm rs.

3. The herein described method of treating a timber with apreserving liquid which consists in placing it within an air and liquid tight tank, creating a vacuum in the tank to withdraw vapors from the cells of the timber, thereafter admitting a sulficient quantity of the treating liquid to immerse a terminal portion of the timber to the desired extent and producinga pressure above the liquid and about the free extending portion of the timber to cause a deep penetration of the liquid into the immersedportion of the body of the timber.

' 4. An ap aratus for the simultaneous treatment 0 redetermined portions of a number of tim er poles,ipil ing and the like comprising a treating tank arranged in a" substantially upright position and provided with a closure means and uninterrupted frommtop to vbottom to permit the introduction of a number of timbers into the tankywhich are supported at their lower ends, a liquid connection leading to the tank V near its-bottom through which is delivered a preservative liquid, an air pressure line connection with the tank at the upper portlon'thereof, and a vacuum line connection with the tank.

names to this specification.

In testimony whereof we have signed our Y 

